Queensland’s building regulator nabs unlicensed builders in raids across the state

Queensland’s building regulator conducted 2338 licence checkson active building sites in October and nabbed 58 people who face hefty fines and prosecution.

QBCC Commissioner Anissa Levy.

Potential fines or prosecution are on the cards for the 58 people suspected of illegal building-related work following the latest crackdown by Queensland’s building regulator.

More than 700 building sites across Queensland were audited by officers from the

Queensland Building and Construction Commission as the regulator continues to take action to protect property owners from the risks of unlicensed building work.

QBCC Commissioner, Anissa Levy, says 41 QBCC officers conducted 2338 licence checks

on active building sites, from the Gold Coast to Cairns across the month of October.

Levy says the regular audits of active building sites across the state help maintain a level

playing field by protecting industry members who are doing the right thing by being licensed.

The audits uncovered 40 individuals suspected of performing unlicensed building work and a

further 18 individual licensees who are suspected of engaging unlicensed individuals to

perform work.

“Performing unlicensed work is a serious offence, and there are significant penalties for

anyone caught not abiding by the law,” Levy says.

She says the 58 individuals detected during these audits are now subject to further

investigations, which could result in fines or prosecution.

“If repeat offending is uncovered during the investigation process, the QBCC will take a

tougher stance on those individuals to encourage future compliance across the sector,” she says.

QBCC Commissioner Anissa Levy.

Partners

After only two years in operation Brisbane entrepreneurs Christian Schwerdtfeger and Clint Motley company have the backing of property giant REA Group.

The co-founders of Immersiv have developed cutting-edge 3D visualisation technology that enables potential property buyers to digitally walk through future developments with such detail and accuracy, they say its created a new benchmark for developer-buyer connections.

Immersiv's Christian Schwerdtfeger and Clint Motley

REA has recognised this and grabbed a strategic minority stake of the company in a move underpinned by the fact that about a third of buyers purchase off-the-plan and Immersiv’s high-fidelity renders and 3D visualisations provide developers with a powerful sales tool.

Schwerdtfeger – who is also CEO of the company – says they’re thrilled to be partnering with Christian Schwerdtfeger says the deal with REA will enable Immersiv to go to the next level.

“Our 3D technology is offering buyers a completely new way to engage with off-the-plan properties, setting a new standard in property visualisation,” he says.

Immersiv’s cutting edge technology can be seen in the La Mer apartment tower at Main Beach on the Gold Coast and the Arches Run community at Lake Macquarie in NSW.

Best of the best

The Planning Institute of Australia’s recognised the best of the best at 2024 Queensland Awards for Planning Excellence on Friday night.

The Overall Winner in Planning Research was The Next Australian City: The

Suburban Evolution by Ross Elliot’s Suburban Futures which he founded in 2018.

Other key honours included the Young Planner of the Year, awarded to Ryan McNeilly Smith and the Planning Champion, bestowed upon former judge Michael Rackemann for his significant contribution to the planning profession.

PIA Queensland president Sean Cullen praised the calibre of the 80 nominations over 17 awards

“This year’s winners exemplify the innovation, collaboration, and long-term thinking key to good planning and creating great places for people,” he says.